The present invention relates to shoe covers for use in dust-free and decontamination rooms, as protective rainwear, or the like, and also to a method of making such shoe covers.
The shoe covers now in use in dust-free and decontamination rooms are usually made of loose-fitting cloth or plastic, such as thin polyethelene sheet material. These shoe covers are not entirely satisfactory. For one thing, since they are loose-fitting, they do not completely prevent dust particles on the shoe, or between the shoe and wearer's foot, from being expelled into the air. That is to say, as the wearer walks, relative movement is produced between the wearer's shoe and the loose-fitting dust cover, causing low and high pressures to develop which inhale and exhale air from between the dust cover and the shoe or ankle. Such air contains dust particles from the wearer's shoe, foot or ankle, which particles contaminate the air. Cloth covers are porous, and therefore when used, the room may be contaminated by dust-laden air forced through the pores of the cloth cover.
The present invention provides a shoe cover having advantages in the above respects as well as the additional important advantages that it can be produced in volume, at low cost and in one size, to fit a wide range of foot sizes as well as both the left and right feet. Besides use in dust-free and contamination rooms, the shoe cover may also be used as inexpensive, light, single-size protective rainwear.